U.S. Pat. No. 3,736,390 discloses a multifunction rotary switch assembly which utilizes rotatable printed circuit boards having circuit patterns thereon that are electrically engageable by electrical brush contact members to perform electrical switching functions depending on the electrical engagement of the brush contact members with the circuit patterns on the printed circuit boards. The printed circuit boards are secured on a shaft which is rotatable by a knob secured thereto. Annular rims are provided by the housing members between which the printed circuit boards are stackably disposed, the rims cooperate to abut and retain the printed circuit boards therebetween and prevent wobbling of the boards.
This arrangement results in frictional problems, especially when several printed circuit boards are used in the switch assembly and also results in deformation of the profiled openings of the boards engaging profiled sections of the shaft on which the boards are mounted thereby rendering operation of the switch assembly very difficult as a result of the friction thus requiring more torque to operate the switch and resulting in inaccurate switch operation when too much play occurs when the profiled openings in the boards are deformed after extensive operation of the switch.